Battle stands

The old battle stands are kind of neat, for years it seemed like the only way to find them was if they came with the old accessory packs of the 1980's, or with the battle field units.

I thought it was great when the figures started to come with them.   I kind of thought of these figures as a sort of "deluxe" figure, at the same price in the year of 1991.  These were figures who also came with action gimmicks.  These figures were Snake eyes, Tracker, the B.A.T., and Mercer.  Each of these single figures has the battle stand, and each has a spring fire accessory (the raft, in Tracker's case).   Other figures had spring-fire accessories, too, but just a few had the battle stand.   I would like to know the reasoning behind why some had battle stands, but most did not.  And I suppose even why some did not have "action accessories" and some did.

And as I look back at the yojoe.com 1991 archive, I see that the Super Sonic Fighters also came with stands.

Whatever the end reasons for including battle stands in 1991, 1992 figures seemed to all get a battle stand.  These are where most of my stands came from during these years, I was buying figures, and GIJOE toys as a whole, the most in the years between 1991 and 1994 compared to any other years previous.   Mostly this was due having more cash, but also due to being in a more populated city! 

1993 figures continued the trend of battle stand inclusion, but that was kind of the nice thing about the "accessory tree."  Even the big Armor Tech figures had them on their trees.   And 1994 kept the battle stands coming.

1997/98, and the RAHC years also had battle stands.

I'm debating on sorting out my battle stands.  There are such slight variations on many of the black stands that make it a little more challenging figuring out which belong with which years of origin.  There was a Yojoe.com thread that someone had started that was really good information on that, but I couldn't find it.  Arrgh.

Some stands are easy, like the two somewhat translucent ones that originally came with my old (and gone for several years now) Shadow ninjas.   


EDIT; ADDITIONAL

I totally forgot about the GvC, Spytroops, and VvV stands, not to mention the TRU multi-packs that had stands, too. 

I  found the YOJOE.COM thread, too, that contains some great information on the battle stands.

I did a quick sort on my stands, and I found some 1992 date stamps, and one 1993 stamp.   One stand had nothing, just blank on the stamp area.   The colored battle corps stands were easily separated.

The 1988 date stamps are going to be the challenge if I do sort these out.   I did find some 1988 date stamps that were a softer plastic, and did separate those.

Well, let's see if this is a project of what...

I like this custom

I like this custom at joecustoms.com.   I've been playing with similar wheel swaps for something I had in mind for my team.   This custom really stands out for that, but also for the coloring and use dedicated with BATs (a creative route I would not have thought of!).  Lots of nice extra gear added to this neat custom, too!

The new AWE ninja cruiser striker

That's what I'm calling it.

Above is the new Retaliation take on the AWE striker, directly in front of my 2001 AWE Striker.  I was comparing how the overall shapes of the roll cages match up, and any possible overall visual feeling the new cage might give to the AWE.

For the $8.00, I think it was a very good purchase.  Of course, there are two things I don't like:

Just not my cup of tea, that's all.

A spot of interest that was hard to tell in pictures at first was whether or not the new Retaliation AWE roll cage panels were removable like on an old 1984 Stinger or 1984 VAMP II.  Of course, it is all one molded piece.
On the plus side of improvements, the new Retaliation roll cage does feel more sturdy to me with the center front bar, and the rear panels that rest on the rear fenders.  But at the same time, as you can compared in the pictures above, I don't think the panel really adds much more to the overall design.  Yes, it does make good contact with the fender, but there is that whole seat back area where the old cage attached with the antenna mount.  The new Retaliation panels seem to just float out there leaving an unresolved design point to me.

But that's a minor thing.

The new front brush/ light bar really doesn't add much for me on the new Retaliation AWE.  It was definitely important that the new front bars match the roll cage bars for that design-y connection, but at the same time, the new bars limit the steering gear in comparison to the older style light bar.

EDIT  :  After some playing, the new Retaliation brush bars are not entirely to blame for the stearing gear limitation, RATHER, it is the TIE ROD end pins which are longer on the Retaliation AWE. 

The panel details on the roll cage are convincing, especially on the back where one can just see the supposed material just drooping with its strap detail standing out.
I'm going to have to see if I can find some reviews of this ninja-AWE that have the explanations for the 4 hanger tabs on the back cage bar, too.  I suppose some weapon holders?

And while I'm thinking of the weapons, I really like the idea of a standing deck on the back of the Retaliation AWE, a really neat spot to put them, too.  I've had some ideas of trying this, mostly in my head where I would have went straight back off the rear fender instead, and then having a gun mount on the outside of either side of the cage (or straight up from the middle of the rear fender).

As is, the Retaliation AWE platforms make it a wide stance for any GIJOE gunner to stand on the center mounted spring fired weapon.

There's also a picture of the STARGATE All-Terrain Cruiser.  I had an Eco-Striker and this Stargate version for my first "AWE Strikers."  I just wanted the original, and I ended up putting the tan body on the Eco-Striker chassis so I could have that more military looking AWE.   The "one seat" Stargate chassis became the base for my "eco-striker" mix, then, that's why you see the "don't litter" sticker here.  And this is all off-point, but I wanted to show the rear deck of the Stargate chassis here.

I wonder if the powers in the design department were inspired by the spring-fired rocket armament of the All-Terrain Cruiser?

With so many AWE's out there, I've had my own ideas on how to improve on the old.   As much as I wouldn't mind a rear gunner seat, like a real world version of one of these buggy's, it just doesn't feel like it fits to me.

But there's plenty of ways to create something new off this very simple All Weather and Environment buggy.  The Retaliation toy has some good things, and some questionable things, but for the $8.00 and the intended rugged play due for this one, it is going to work well.

Retaliation at Kmart on clearance

The local Kmart has all the GIJoe Retaliation figures in a clearance section.

Figures are at $5.00
The action cycles are at $7.00
The Fangboat and the Ninja-AWE are at $8.00

I thought my Fangboat at $11.99 was the best it was going to get, I wish I would have waited now.  But that's the thing, sometimes the wait is bearable for clearance...., but clearance never comes, or they get snapped up before you know it!


I was tempted for a split second to snap up some figures, I mean $5.00 single figures is pretty decent.   That is where these should be.   But I passed, for now, mostly since the Retaliation Roadblock figure I bought a while ago really angered me.  I should have read GeneralsJoes.com review before I bought it.   I wanted a modern Roadblock figure, and on the fly this one looked very good.  I thought the funky hand thing was just a Renegades style blocky gun (which I wanted).  Nope, and for me, so much to really like about this figure, but that action gimmick feature really ruins a good, solid figure.


But all is not lost.   With this surprise clearance find yesterday, I picked up the Ninja-AWE, and I'll be opening that up with the "junior joe" of the house at some point.

At $8.00 the price is really great.

Nearest price I can remember for an AWE like this is the $9.99 (or was it $8.99) for the 2001 AWE striker.  (which is my favorite, and current HQ "official" AWE. 

The best part is that now my AWE will be that disPlayed AWE, and this new one will be strictly play.

The Iron Grenadiers now.

This could be a "part V" of my Iron Grenadier posts, where I talked about how Destro and his forces came to be a part of my own collection here at the HQ, and some of what I think about these guys overall.

Today, Destro, like my GIJOE team, and the forces of Cobra, has been reduced to a very concise and simplified force.   (So simple, there's no vehicles for them currently :o.)  The picture that says it all:

It's my original 1988 Destro leading his Iron Grenadier army.   His distant cousin, Darklon, still survives and is a younger ambitious mercenary in a way; a character that adds the "new" angles to future play adventures is why he made it.

And then there is Metal Head, Destro's best weapons designer.  Well, second-best, next to Destro.  I'm kind of afraid to attach his thigh rocket holders and the hoses in case I snap off a peg right now.

And Iron Grenadiers, my original favorite 1988 troopers in their black and red, with just a hint of gold.   Supplemented by their "up-geared" counterparts in their night-fighting assault gear!


Every other trooper is now gone, and has been for almost 10 months now.  But I like it, just look at the more cohesive colors.    The only other trooper that I was on the fence about was the Club's Undertow subscription figure, but for me to try and build that figure into a squad would be most cost-prohibitive.  Plus, I'm out of aquatic adventures now, too.

Future goals for my Iron Grenadiers are to add more 1988 Iron Grenadiers, so if you have some you don't want, let me know!


A simple, efficient army. 

The club and me in the modern era

Something I was thinking about just now while I was looking at my small collection in the basement was how I fit into the collector/ fan community now.  I'm mostly set with what I have and what my own personal goals are; I'm actually kind of a reverse collector these days trying to slim down my toy collection if one thinks about it.

Now, not too long ago I was big on wanting everything and multiples of some that (I think we would all have it this way if we could...).  I bought the 2005 convention set, mostly since I was able to attend that convention.  At that time, I felt like the cost of a possible once in a lifetime chance to attend a convention was more than worth it.  And to a point, I very much still do.


I bought the 2006 set the next year, mostly since it was in my budget range at the time, and I didn't think I would be able to purchase another set in 2007 or after at that time.  I was a "homefront hero" buyer for that.

Then, in 2008, it was the Headhunter set, and as a huge Headhunter fan I didn't really think long and very impulsively bought it as a "homefront hero."  Despite it being more than I should have been spending on toys at that time, it WAS Headhunters.  (eventually, only Gristle was a keeper for me in the set, despite the excellent BATs and alright Stormtroopers, both of the "bulk" troop component of that set were sent out due to my focus on simplifying "troop" ranks.)

But as I've slimmed down on collecting and what I'm holding onto, in my process of "weeding out," many of the convention items didn't end up staying.   They are nice things, no doubt, but I very often found myself preferring the original figure over a redone, or mis-mashed parts figure.

For example, I really like the Crimson Guard Immortal, but the 2005 Destro convention figure (Destro is a complete separate faction here) really clashed with the CGI.   Would the leader of a competing faction have the same uniform and armor as the elite trooper of an "enemy" faction?

I didn't think so.

And then the 2008 Headhunter trooper being "arsenic" in coloring, well, it really stood out against the black and leather original to me, and Headhunters are not that large, nor specialized to me, to warrant multiple troops designs and colors.

And so on. 

And then regarding simplicity, did I "need" so many trooper figures that were different?  I didn't think so, and thus figures like the Iron Anvils were removed from my collection.

But, why keep the 2005 convention Iron Grenadier, you ask?   Isn't it a "different" trooper?

Yes, it is a Night Viper for the most part, but I never have had a Night Viper, so that use of the body never really bothered me much.

But I also think the convention Iron Grenadier works and fits in with my 1988 Grenadiers because of the use of the helmet and its original color schemes kept intact.   And why do I think it works?  Because the trooper is still very much the same, but it's all about gear.


And this is where my sudden thought of where and how I fit into the collecting community sort of found an answer.   As I mixed and matched Marauder, Inc. gear among the handful of troopers just now, I started thinking that instead of a new trooper, new viper, or soldier, etc, etc, that I think I can enhance what I have with the gear quite a bit.

It's obvious with accessories, the weapons and backpacks, foot gear, swords, etc., etc., but then what I think is missing for me is the next step, body gear.

If you think about the original GIJOE, the 12" figures that as "ARAH" fans we often neglect in our discussions, at that time one could change uniforms right down to the naked doll.  Any single GIJoe guy could gear up for any mission, from desert survival missions, underwater deep sea diving, to the outer limits of space.   There were even mess kits with forks and spoons.

I think the market for different gear is there, and I think Marauder, Inc., shows it, as well as other sources of scale accessories, even including other 1/18th scale figure lines.  After years on the forums, a lot of us have bought other lines scaled vehicles and gear to use with our GIJoe figures. 

As I look at what the club is offering these days, I think it is really great, but it is just not for me right now.  There latest figure subscription service is tempting, despite being modern style (something I'm very limited on collecting).  But, Jinx, Cover girl, and even Quarrel look like great figures I would like to add into my small modern mix of figures, but I just can't reason out spending quite that much to get some of what I like.  Or to end up with stuff I really don't want.  (GIJoe Vs. Cobra two-pack figures come to mind for me now.....)

And it is stuff like Operation: Moth, where I would like to buy it, but with those trooper figures, I would have rather have had a small 6-figure squad box of each available to buy.  (and yes, they were all intended to be, "individual" troopers, but still....)


So, in modern times, and with me being the limited mostly classic GIJoe collector fan, what does the club have for me?

Well, I mentioned the 2005 convention Iron Grenadier, and why that figure appealed to me, and why it fit what I have.  It's that added value to the basic that I'm looking for now.

If there's one thing that the club would produce, that I would snap up, is a new Viper head.  Yes, that simple.   In my imagination here, I would like it to be just a simple head with either a full head covering or a face covering.   And then a well done Viper helmet that fits right on it, and is the exact same size as an '86 Viper head.

I'll unscrew my Viper screw and pop that new head right on.


And you know, why stop there?   Why not produce body parts that enhance older figures?  

Really.   It might be expensive, it might end up with a crazy price for a small part, but, think like holsters on older figures.  Like, 1986 Hawk, for example, with that leg holster that is empty.  It seems like it would be possible to almost get his pistol in there, always has to me.   Would you buy a new thigh half that is painted and made to screw right in place?

Think of a lot of those figures that you like in the classic line that are SO close to perfect in your mind, is there that one detail or aspect that you think to yourself, "if only...."

I've seen Transformer combiner sets that are meant to be cartoon accurate, or gear meant to enhance the Transformer robot modes, can this be done with GIJoe?   Has it been done and I've just missed it online?


I guess that's about where I'm at today as I type this out.  What do you think?